On Thursday, September 15, 2011, at 4:00 a.m. PDT all U.S. and European galaxies will be brought down for an Update. The servers are estimated to be down for 4 hours. If this timeframe changes, we'll post an update on the official forums.
When the Update is complete, all galaxies will be live but unavailable while we complete final testing. All galaxies will be made available after that time.
Game Update 21: Atmospheric Flight
"There's nothing that can compare to seeing Hjal's expression when you tell him in person that you would like to take your ships out of your datapad on the ground and fly around in them =)" -- Teesquared's Producer Note, March 2011
Atmospheric FlightWith atmospheric flight, you will be able to travel the skies above and see the worlds of Star Wars Galaxies in a new way. To launch into atmospheric flight, or to return to the ground, you can use your ship's icon in your datapad. Whether you are looking to host a peaceful event in your yacht with the Theed Waterfall as a backdrop or prove your piloting skills against another player over the desert of Tatooine, atmospheric flight will offer a unique way to experience Star Wars Galaxies.
The Final BattleIt's the quiet before the storm. Special teams of elite troops from either faction have been dispatched to hunt down anyone who seeks to tip the scale in the Galactic Civil War by attacking minor installations and patrols. Anyone who accepts a factional mission risks drawing the attention of an enemy strike team.
Atmospheric Flight
Atmospheric flight is allowed on any of the original 10 ground planets (Corellia, Dantooine, Dathomir, Endor, Lok, Naboo, Rori, Talus, Tatooine, and Yavin 4).
Use the Launch Ship radial menu option from the ship control device in the datapad to launch the ship into atmospheric flight. You can also launch the ship into atmospheric flight using the toolbar.
Use the Land Ship radial menu option from the ship control device in the datapad to land/store the ship from atmospheric flight. You can also land/store the ship from atmospheric flight using the toolbar, or the newly added /landShip command.
Once in flight, use the newly added /inviteShip (or /target, followed by /inviteShip) command to invite passengers/gunners aboard the ship (either POB ship or non-POB ship with a currently unoccupied turret slot).
Passengers/gunners can leave the ship by using /escapePod or the escape hatch.
The ship owner can kick passengers/gunners off the ship using the existing /kickFromShip command.
You can launch directly into space from atmospheric flight. Once the ship is above 6000m altitude, an "ENTER SPACE" button will be displayed on the pilot's HUD that will allow direct launch into the corresponding space zone. Clicking the button will display a popup menu to select the space zone's hyperspace point to launch to.
If the ship hits the terrain while flying, it will sustain damage proportionate to the ship's current mass and speed.
All forms of ship-to-ship PvP are available while in atmospheric flight - factional and privateer factional helper (/spacepvprebel, /spacepvpimperial, /spacefaction), player bounty system, guild war, guild squad PvP, duel.
Player bounty system and guild war exemption/exclusive status fall under the "space" ruleset while in atmospheric flight.
If the ship is special forces (including privateer factional helper special forces ship) while in atmospheric flight, GCW factional presence is granted to occupants with the same faction as the ship, regardless of the occupant's special forces/combatant/on leave status. If any occupant is granted GCW factional presence, the ship is reported on the GCW Factional Presence window of the War Terminal/War Intel Pad/War Table, but NOT pinpointed on the planet map.
10 new "airspace" GCW score regions/categories have been added (like Naboo Airspace, Rori Airspace, etc). GCW score contribution made while in atmospheric flight (including factional presence) will apply to the planet's corresponding "airspace" GCW score region/category. Each "airspace" GCW score region/category will contribute the same percentage to the planet's and galaxy's GCW score as a single ground GCW contested region.
While in atmospheric flight, the planet map will display in the window title the score of just the "airspace" GCW region/category for that planet.
GCW score contribution from factional ship-to-ship PvP kills in atmospheric flight will contribute to the GCW space PvP score category of the space zone corresponding to the planet. For example, factional ship-to-ship PvP kill in atmospheric flight in Tatooine airspace will contribute to the "Tatoo System Player vs Player" GCW score category. Rori airspace will contribute to the Naboo System, and Talus airspace will contribute to the Corellian System.
Graphics
"Disable Fog" option has been added to the Graphics tab of the Options window.
**HINT/REMINDER** Use the "Viewing Distance" slider in the Graphics tab of the Options window to set the "look ahead" level of detail that is comfortable for you (and your system).
TCG
The Deluxe Floater and Cloud City Airspeeder datapad objects should now be flagged as no trade removable.